Category: High Points

AlabamaNovember  2013 Before Lisa and I head out on our trip to Alabama, one of my students, whose vocal style hints of her formative years in the South, suggests that I be “real patient” when I attempt conversation with the folks down there. “Yeah, why’s that?” “They talk real slow,” she says, real slow. Reminds… Continue reading How We Talk Here

Mount RogersVirginiaJuly  2011 We start up the Rhododendron Trail which leads to Rhododendron Gap.  There’s a certain symmetry in that, don’t ya think.  The Rhododendron Trail follows a wagon road over the hill but we are on a re-route.  My guess is this new section was built to let the land recover from erosion caused… Continue reading Plant I D

Wheeler PeakNew MexicoJuly  2013 Halfway down from the highest high point we’ve climbed so far (13 161 feet,) in the nearby rocks, is a marmot. Before we see him, we hear his whistling.  Or maybe its his chirp, or yip, trill, cluck, bark or chuck.  We call his call by a lot of call names. … Continue reading How Much Wood?

Driskill MountainLouisianaJune  2012 Returning to the summit from exploring the dead end of a nearby trail, I log another first.  Perched up there, in the shadow of the eave of the signboard marking the summit of Driskill Mountain in Louisiana, is a black spider with a red mark on the back of its abdomen.  Hmm,… Continue reading Black Widow

Mount MitchellNorth CarolinaJune  2015 I have come upon many obstacles in the tens of thousands of miles I’ve hiked.  I’ve stumbled over downed trees, shimmied over boulders, fallen down gullies, dropped down steep inclines, nearly had my boots sucked off my feet by mud and slid down hills on my arse.  I’ve faced bear, wild… Continue reading Stop on a Dime

Driskill MountainLouisianaJune  2012 Back to our summit hike, here on the formerly French land of Louisiana.  To the right of our hiking path halfway to the top of the state is a beautifully formed, 30-inch high baldfaced hornet hive.  The baldfaced hornet, like the bald eagle, is not bald.  Its face has a pattern of… Continue reading Bald Faced Hornets

Panorama PointNebraskaJuly  2013 Oh, did I not mention the buffalo? After crossing the border between the two Dakota states — <Dakota> is sort of a Sioux word meaning “allies” or “friends” — we drive right through Buffalo, a town of 330 residents.  Not far from the center of town, and past the Tatanka Plaza, is… Continue reading Where the Bison Roam

at homeMay  2014 To try to be ready for high places, which terrify me, I clean the windows on the third floor of my house, leaning out one sash window to get to the adjacent one. I’m not sure I’m getting the hang of it, this going up high stuff.  I have to ask my… Continue reading Practicing

Mount MagazineArkansasJune  2012 The origin of the name Mount Magazine comes in a rather uninspired way. Seems that in the old days, French explorers were making their way around this area when a landslide occurred.  One of the Frenchmen exclaimed, “Great leaping toadstools!  That sounds just like an ammunition magazine exploding,” or words to that… Continue reading Mount Kaboom

Cheaha MountainAlabamaNovember  2013 None of the hiking trails on Cheaha Mountain take you to the summit.  They all bypass it or end on a road which requires at least a half mile of pavement walk.  The best hiking route I can find is the Lake Trail.  Since this is a linear trail, out and back,… Continue reading The Cheaha Shuttle